.  Instead of saying nothing and just getting beaten while crouching down, it might be less humiliating and less painful to fight against him. Hwang Siwoo, at the side, whispered in surprise.

  “Hey, you crazy bastard. Do you think you can win?”


  “…”


  Kim Sa Hyuk refused to listen and did not stop clenching his hands.

  Meanwhile, Kwon Eun Hyung was checking his phone as if he received a text.

  The fights held in the ranking battle normally began with no starting signals, so was this fight; there was no need to notify that it was beginning. ‘When Kwon Eun Hyung spat those words, the fight had already begun!’ With that thought in mind, Kim Sa Hyuk threw a punch in a flash.

  Hwang Siwoo stepped back while drawing in his breath. Those collapsed on the ground also had their jaws dropped in surprise. While Woo San, Hwang Hae, Suh Jin Woon, and everyone in the lot remained silent, Kwon Eun Hyung took his eyes off of the phone and turned his head. Then, at the same time, a fierce punch stroke Kwon Eun Hyung’s cheek.

  Pow!

  Suddenly, there was a long pause as if time had stopped.

  Kim Sa Hyuk dropped his gaze at his fist with shivers.

  He punched his face, but the attack was so smooth and seamless that even he felt how unbelievable it was. ‘Hold on, did I really punch his face? That monstrous bastard?’


  Kwon Eun Hyung rubbed his stinging cheek while staring at Kim Sa hyuk with his green eyes. He looked quite surprised.

  He then suddenly said, “Ow, it hurts… a lot.”


  “…?”


  “I lost.”


  “…??”


  “Now you’re the 72nd rank.”


  “…???”


  Feeling dumbfounded, Kim Sa Hyuk’s jaw dropped. ‘W… hat…’ The one who felt even more surprised was Hwang Siwoo and the other gang members while looking at the whole situation. ‘Wait, Kim Sa Hyuk beat Kwon Eun Hyung? He even got the 72nd rank because of it? What the heck is he talking about?’


  Regardless of the confusing gazes around, Kwon Eun Hyung just walked out of the lot while touching his cheek. ‘… Leaving? Is he… for real…?’ While everyone looked at Kwon Eun Hyung disappearing, new guests showed up out of the blue.

  Those who looked at the triumphant new faces soon struck dumb. ‘Holy Christ! Dae Lisa, Gang Han, Gong Haru, and Kim Pyung Bum… why did they come all the way to this place? What would have brought those top rankers here?’


  While all eyes were upon them, Gong Haru, who scratched his dark purple hair, glanced at Woo San and said, “Hey, is he somewhere among them?”


  “Yup, it’s him,” Woo San nodded while pointing Kim Sa Hyuk, who stood still in the middle of the lot blankly.

  As soon as Kim Sa Hyuk raised his head after Woo San pointed at him, Gong Haru asked while fixing his gaze at him.

  “Hey, don’t you know the common law of school gangs? School gangs hang out with only other school gangs. You should never threaten an outsider kid’s life. Don’t you know that?”


  Kim Sa Hyuk became at a loss of words with a pale face. Gong Haru glanced around then continued his words.

  “You almost killed a girl by pushing her to the road, right? A dump truck nearly squeezed her to death. Her friend just stopped by. She burst into tears while testifying that in surprise until now. Many of you forget that common law lately, so we would like to give an example of what happens if you break it.”


  “Hey, what’s your rank?” Dae Lisa, who was listening to Gong Haru’s words while standing behind him, asked abruptly.

  The higher the rank, the stronger the punishment. Regardless of that, they were about to beat him up to death since Ban Yeo Ryung’s tears affected them so much.

  While Kim Sa Hyuk remained silent, Woo San responded out of the blue, “72nd.”


  “Oh, really? Much higher than I thought, but doesn’t it belong to Eun Kyum?”


  “He’s now the 72nd. Isn’t that right, witnesses?” Woo San, who answered back to Dae Lisa, smiled at the collapsed boys. Hwang Siwoo and the groups of other gangs, at last, realized what was going on.

  ‘I see. Everything about him, getting punched to his rank changing, was so strange, but that was why…!’


  Twisting her neck to the side with a cracking sound, Dae Lisa lifted her fist. She then spoke with a glare in her jet-black eyes.

  “Like master, like man. The higher the rank, the better the example, am I right?” She smiled.

  “Are you ready to get punished for attempting such a crime with a high rank of 72nd place?”


  When she finished her remark, the Number 2 Gong Haru, Gang Han, Kim Pyung Bum, and those who stood behind him, all stepped forward. Their eyes, engraved with Ban Yeo Ryung’s sorrowful tears, were all glaring with a thirst for blood.

  Kim Sa Hyuk’s face turned pale like a sheet of paper while looking at them getting closer to him without any expression. Hwang Hae, who looked at the situation, opened his mouth.

  “Hey, the last time I asked you if your little brother is actually very scary, didn’t you say no?”


  “Uh-huh.”


  “How can you say that after all these?”


  Woo San looked around. There were twenty-three boys who remained collapsed on the ground with the addition of the seven boys, while Hwang Siwoo was standing far from them and Kim Sa Hyuk, who was beaten to death, was among them. He then seemed to start wondering for a moment but smiled shyly because of whatever he was thinking.

  He then said, “Hmm… I think I forgot the word ‘smart’ after the adjectives cute, lovely, and adorable.”


  Hwang Hae and Suh Jin Woon looked as if they were about to throw up immediately.

  * * *

  He saw her leaning on the school entrance with her long black hair. Outside the school, the streets were covered with a veil of darkness. Kwon Eun Hyung called her in a loud voice.

  “Yeo Ryung, how was it?”


  As if she sensed his presence, Ban Yeo Ryung turned her head to see him; however, she looked quite empty.

  Kwon Eun Hyung asked in wonder, “Wh… at’s up?”


  “Eun Hyung…” She spoke with a sad face.

  “What’s wrong?” Kwon Eun Hyung patted her head while waiting for her response. What she said was, however, ludicrous.

  “I’m so upset. I wanted to smash him with my hand at least once.”


  “What?” Kwon Eun Hyung opened his mouth a little but soon burst out laughing.

  “Those unnie and oppas think I’m very soft and weak. They kept taking their padded jackets for me as if I were feeling cold, so I did nothing. Oh, I’m so upset. I couldn’t come forward to hit him at that moment. Geez…”


  Ban Yeo Ryung swept back her hair while heaving a sigh. It made Kwon Eun Hyung laugh again. He then walked together with Ban Yeo Ryung.

  She asked, “Are you okay with the punch? It looked painful.”


  “Oh, well…”


  Based on Eun Hyung’s standard, this wasn’t even a punch. Ban Yeo Ryung also knew that well, so although she glanced at him in concern, she soon looked relieved.

  Kwon Eun Hyung took out his phone and checked the message.

  Sent by: Woo Jooin

  Sorry,,, looks painful,,,,really sorry,,,

  Kwon Eun Hyung smiled shortly then moved his finger to type a response.

  To: Woo Jooin

  You didn’t punch me, so why are you the one asking for forgiveness? All’s well that ends well, right?

  After he pressed the send button, Kwon Eun Hyung put his phone inside his pocket with a smile. He then thought, ‘Everything went according to Woo Jooin’s plan.’


  He defeated Eun Kyum and the rainbows alone in front of Hwang Siwoo and the twenty-three thieves. Unless they go crazy, they wouldn’t attack Kwon Eun Hyung anymore. From this experience, they would also not irritate Ban Yeo Ryung too; Ham Donnie would also stop encountering any dangerous situations.

  When he recalled Ham Donnie’s sad face while supporting his body, Kwon Eun Hyung fetched a short sigh.

  ‘You should have been careful about who you offend.’


  Anyway, Kwon Eun Hyung became the 72nd rank while going through this situation; however, he just returned it, so it was not something he should involve himself into anymore.

  ‘Donnie always reacted strangely when hearing such a word like rank or ranking. Luckily, it was something we shouldn’t involve ourselves in anymore. Donnie could now go outside safely with relief,’ Kwon Eun Hyung thought.

  However, he never expected that rumor would spread out soon.

  * * *

  I scribbled on the textbook with my pencil but soon raised my head to look outside the window. After being engaged in a deadly chase with the Four Heavenly Kings and Ban Yeo Ryung, unexpectedly, my school life continued peacefully.

  I kind of thought, ‘this is the school life without Ban Yeo Ryung and the Four Heavenly Kings in my class.’ In the case of Yi Ruda, she was still jumping off the second floor, but other than that, we’ve been good friends. Now that I had thought about it, the most unexpected thing about all of this was something else. I knitted my brows and tilted my head to the side.

  What happened to Hwang Siwoo? I recalled his attitude when he was confessing his affection toward Ban Yeo Ryung and the stinging words he poured out to her inside the classroom that was sparkling with the setting sun’s rays. He then ordered his group of gangs to attack us, but one day he disappeared clearly and quietly. I had no idea what happened. Suddenly, Eun Hyung’s low voice came across my mind.

  “I’ll make things okay now.”